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By Dennis K. - 14 Years Ago
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Here is the link to the car: http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0511-107079&utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SC0511_F228 I'm aware that it is one of fifteen and states it was a former drag car. Any idea where the remainder of them are? States there are eight survivors. How about the remaining 85 Phase One Customs and Convertibles built? Did they all go circle track racing? Regards, Dennis
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 14 Years Ago
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Dennis: I have a friend in Florida who has as complete a listing of early Birds as exists. I'll email him and see if he has documentation of the other eight.
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By Don Woodruff - 14 Years Ago
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Did the phase 1 cars use a different supercharger than the VR=57? I was at an auction in Wisconsin where they had a really ratty Ranchero "F" code for sale. To say it was a project may be an understatement. There was a FE in the engine compartment, and F code engine pieces (not assembled) offered as a lot. The brackets looked like phase 2 or production brackets, while the charger was what looked like a predecessor or the VR-57. The statement that the HD overdrive was not strong enough for the 312 seems a bit of a stretch as the OD was offered in 60 and 61 behind the HiPo Fe's. Maybe some changes were made in the OD units? The Ranchero went for over 20K. This was about 20 years ago.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 14 Years Ago
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Dennis: Got an answer from my friend in Florida. He says there were 2 sold in Florida in recent years, one is in the northeast. He has the vin numbers of the other 5, but doesn't know who owns them. He said Frank Stubbs is in charge of the F bird registry, John Shields was in charge, but for health reasons had to pass it on. At least Dave verified that indeed 8 survive.
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By Dennis K. - 14 Years Ago
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Don Woodruff (3/30/2011)
Did the phase 1 cars use a different supercharger than the VR=57? I was at an auction in Wisconsin where they had a really ratty Ranchero "F" code for sale. To say it was a project may be an understatement. There was a FE in the engine compartment, and F code engine pieces (not assembled) offered as a lot. The brackets looked like phase 2 or production brackets, while the charger was what looked like a predecessor or the VR-57. The statement that the HD overdrive was not strong enough for the 312 seems a bit of a stretch as the OD was offered in 60 and 61 behind the HiPo Fe's. Maybe some changes were made in the OD units? The Ranchero went for over 20K. This was about 20 years ago.Yes, the Phase 1 and 2 blowers are different. Phase 1 uses a band and a Phase 2 uses screws to clamp the cases together. See attached photos:  Phase 1
 Phase 2
Images are not mine, from Internet or eBay Regards, Dennis
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By bird55 - 14 Years Ago
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That some great history with that one. It seems to me it should go for big dough with the provenance and Gil Baumgartners restoration work. Hope I get to see it happen. Also hope its price goes through the roof. 
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By Dennis K. - 14 Years Ago
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Dennis: Got an answer from my friend in Florida. He says there were 2 sold in Florida in recent years, one is in the northeast. He has the vin numbers of the other 5, but doesn't know who owns them. He said Frank Stubbs is in charge of the F bird registry, John Shields was in charge, but for health reasons had to pass it on. At least Dave verified that indeed 8 survive.[/quote] The two photos are from an auction on a Torch Red FL car. Possibility there may be more than 15 D/F T-Birds? The four factory cars were C7FH170xxx and 171xxx VIN's, I think three were equipped with Phase 1 S/C. Maybe they don't count, being a C code? There is also a T-Bird assigned to Paul Goldsmith - Daytona Beach that is D7FH257xxx, also a D7FH161xxx T-Bird assigned to Bill France, maybe they weren't supercharged. Did any of the Phase 1 D/F Customs or Convertibles survive? If they were D engine coded, how would one even know? 
Beautiful cars, would love to have one! Regards, Dennis
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By glrbird - 14 Years Ago
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John Mickey with the blue 57 bird has one of those gauge packages on the steering column. Is that something that was used on the factory cars?
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By Jerryp - 14 Years Ago
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Don, I remember the ratty F code ranchero very well. I drove for a day and a half to the auction thinking i was going to buy it cheap. I got there less than an hour before the bidding started. It quickly became apparent that other people wanted it a lot more than i did. As i remember it sold for about $18,000. It had a mixture of parts with it but the blower was a phase one with an early serial number like xxx35 instead of the usual VR57 number. The car had the bottom of the quarter panels cut off making it look really bad but it was a real F code car. I talked to the buyer after the auction and i believe he was from Minnesota and had another F code ranchero. Had to be a very rare car. Jerry p.
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By Don Woodruff - 14 Years Ago
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Thats the one! I thought it went a bit north of 20 K but my memory is not 100% I do remember an argument over an extra trash can fuel filter. Nothing went cheap at that sale.
Couple of nice 63's though.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 14 Years Ago
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The other Florida car Dave talked about was Inca Gold. Same one at Mecon now???? When our local T-Bird club hosted a regional meet in '77, there was a bronze D-F from Chicago there. I was very interested in it since my car is a bronze D code with an F engine. Sadly, it is not really a D-F. The guy had ordered a 270 car, then learned of the 300 option, and changed his order. Charles Mattox is his name, he may be deceased by now. Someone from the Chicago club may know.
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By randyh - 14 Years Ago
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Amos Minter has a phase 1 custom, there are pictures of it on is website. On the website he says that it is one of two known to exist. I have one that my father bought in 1957 from a FORD dealer, it needs restored. Not one of the two Amos mentioned. The problem with the phase 1's, other than T-birds, is that the factory records do not exist so it is very difficult to confirm that these are authentic unless you have buildsheet or bill of sale, etc. I was told that the records at the Henry Ford Musuem were destroyed by a fire years ago, after the T-birds records were obtained. I believe they are D-code, 70A Customs built the 3rd week of January '57. I have been looking for sometime for factory records for these phase 1's but only reached deadends.
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